In the new digital era, the question of who will get the game accounts and the items accumulated in them after the death of users is acute. To do this, Tencent has patented a special technology of “digital inheritance”. In theory, it will allow you to transfer in-game assets to people specified in the will.Analyst Daniel Ahmad drew attention to this.
It turned out that Tencent applied back in March 2019 through the Chinese service Tianyancha.
“As we move towards a more digital world, the idea of inheriting virtual assets is becoming increasingly important for aging internet users who have old gaming accounts with lots of digital items,” explains Ahmad.
Tencent obtained a patent this month, originally filed in 2019, that relates to the inheritance of digital items and assets after a person passes away.
While not fully related to video games, it has sparked discussions online about game accounts / virtual item inheritance. pic.twitter.com/ltmtFYndId
— Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) July 12, 2021This month, the Chinese company’s patent was finally approved.
The description of the technology states that it provides “methods for processing information on human devices during inheritance and transfer of certificates confirming ownership of digital assets.”
It is unclear exactly how the process of transferring items will work. Probably, the user will have to upload his will to a special application or the game itself, in which the name of the heir is indicated. After that, the other person will be able to get the necessary in-game items and other assets.
Ahmad compares Tencent’s patent to Apple’s recently announced technology. It will allow users to appoint administrators who will be able to access their accounts after their death. Unlike Apple’s system, the Chinese company’s technology implies the direct transfer of both entire accounts and individual items into the possession of other users.
It is unclear whether Tencent will actually introduce the patented technology into its games. So far, the company itself has not reported anything about such plans.